Surf Board Wax and Sea Weed
by Perdition Raiser
Summary: The ocean has always been Cas' soulmate but soon it's competing with something just as beautiful, Dean Winchester. Dean loves surfing, he's really good at surfing, but the first time he sees Cas he wipes out hard because you can't help but look when someone's beauty rivals that of the moon.
1. Wiped out

**Okay, so this started out as a oneshot but it's probably going to be a chapter fic, WHICH I KNOW I DON'T NEED TO BE WRITING RIGHT NOW BUT HONESTLY I think it's a cool plot. I haven't updated any of my fics at all recently but I plan on getting more done because its summer! Hope y'all like it.**

Cas hadn't been home in five years. It hadn't felt like a long time to be gone but he knew it was long enough for things to change, he just hoped that a small town like Encinitas, California hadn't changed too much. Walking into an LA airport was a bit of a culture shock after spending two years in Australia studying the Great Barrier Reef and then another three on a boat off the coast of the Philippines. Cas was pretty sure he looked like he'd been living in the jungle for three weeks without bathing but he didn't really care, he just wanted to get home.

After waiting for fifteen minutes to grab his luggage he pulled out the cellphone that he hadn't used in a few months and called his brother.

 _"Cassie?!"_

"Hi Gabe,"

 _"I haven't heard from you in ages! What's crack-a-lackin' lil bro?"_

"I need you to pick me up at the train station in like an hour."

 _"The train station?_ _What train station? Encinitas train station?!"_

Cas chuckled, "Yes Gabriel, Encinitas train station. I just got off the plane in LA."

 _"Are you kidding me?" Gabe shouted giddily, "You're home? That's awesome."_

"So you'll pick me up?"

 _"Of course lil bro! I'll see you in an hour."_

"See you then Gabriel."

Cas dragged his luggage two blocks to the train station and hopped on the T. Being on a train was very different than being on a boat. After basically living on a boat for three years even sitting in a metal box rolling down train tracks at a 100-mph felt more grounding. He already missed being on the ocean and couldn't be more grateful that Encinitas was on the coast.

Encinitas was the last stop. Cas lugged his things off the train and when he stepped out of the train station he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He loved being home. He hadn't been off the train for more than five minutes when Gabriel found him. Cas heard him before he saw him.

"CASSIE!" Gabriel's voice rang right into his eardrums. He was tackled not a moment later. Gabriel had literally clung to him like a howler monkey. Cas stood still while Gabriel squeezed the life out of him. His tiny legs and arms were wrapped around him.

"Hello Gabriel, it's nice to see you. Can you let me go?"

Gabriel climbed off and beamed up at him. Cas couldn't help but smile back.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Gabe asked as they headed to his car.

Cas shrugged as he put his bags in the trunk of Gabriel's light pink fiat, "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well I'm glad you're home. It's been lonely at the bakery without you."

Gabriel Novak owned _Gabe's_ a successful bakery and coffee shop right near the coast in Encinitas.

"Has a lot changed?" Cas asked as they parked at the bakery and went upstairs to their apartment, "Since I left?"

Gabe shrugged, "It has and it hasn't. The shop is pretty much the same, and I haven't had any roommates so your room is the same."

"But?"

"Some of our friends have moved away, and I've got some new ones that I know you'll love. The beach trash pick-up has become a fad, the beach is super clean now, thanks to you. Charlie's engaged."

"Wow," Cas tossed his bags in his room, "Lot's of new things."

"You know what's the newest thing?" Gabe asked.

"What?"

"You are fucking dirty and need to take a shower."

Cas punched him in the arm on the way to the bathroom.

-x-

When Cas got out of the shower he found Gabriel down in the shop. There were a couple regulars that Cas remembered and some new comers. But then again it had been five years so they could be regulars too.

"Cassie, you're clean!"

"Yes I am," he chuckled, "I'm gonna take a walk, I'll be back soon."

"You're going to the beach, aren't you?"

Cas gawffed and Gabriel crossed his arms. "Cassie, you just spent five years on the ocean."

"So? I miss _our_ beach, it's home. I promise I'll be back soon to say hi to Charlie and whomever else."

Gabriel shooed him away and it took him all of five minutes to find the sandy wooden path that lead him straight to Swami State Beach and the ocean.

Cas slipped out of his berks and trudged through the sand to the edge of the water on the left side of the beach and plopped right down in the sand. It was starting to cool a little as fall neared but there were a few stragglers about.

Cas recognized the old couple not that far from him, Mr. and Mrs. Milton, and waved to them. Looking back to the ocean he closed his eyes and took a deep breath just as he had at the train station. Most people didn't think so but to Cas, every part of the ocean smelled different and he had missed the smell of the ocean at home so much.

When he had opened his eyes again the ocean was no longer empty. Two young men in surf suits were laughing and running straight into the waves with surf boards tucked under their arms. It was strange to see people surfing on this side of the beach because the waves were better during the day on the far-right side of the beach and the only surf shop in Encinitas was located on the other side of town.

They were tan like Californians but tall and muscular and from what Cas could tell, a lot rougher around the edges than the average Californian. He wondered for a moment who they were. The shorter one looked up as he was swerving down a wave and made eye contact with him but before Cas could even smile he wiped out. He laughed, cringing to himself and before he could see if the man was okay he heard someone calling his name.

-x-

Dean pulled their surf boards out of the garage while Sam turned the open sign of their surf shop to _closed_ before locking up and grabbing his board from his brother.

"Ready?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah, the swell is supposed to be pretty sweet for the next couple hours."

"Awesome," Dean hefted his board under his arm as he and Sam headed down the street to the beach.

"Gabe called earlier."

Dean rose an eyebrow, "About?"

Sam shrugged, "Said he wants us to stop by later. I dunno what about."

"Huh," they reached the wooden path to the beach, "Hey, last one to the water's a little BITCH!"

Dean tripped Sam a little before darting for the water.

"Jerk!" Sam shouted back and crashed into the water right behind him and was soon paddling ahead of Dean because his arms were more like boat oars than anything else.

Dean caught up to Sam and they sat on their boards facing the beach waiting for the next big wave. While they bobbed in the water Dean spotted someone on the shore that he hadn't seen before. After living in a small town like Encinitas for a couple years you get used to seeing the same faces and this wasn't one he'd seen in the four years he'd been living here.

It was a dark-haired man in cut off shorts and a worn-out t-shirt. He had his eyes closed and his feet buried in the sand. Before Dean could wonder about who he might be a big wave surged up behind him.

"Heads-up Dean!" Sam shouted and they paddled over to the swell and caught the wave at just the right moment.

As Dean was catching the wave at its highest point he looked up at the beach to see what he assumed was Charlie, (he would recognize her fiery hair anywhere) running straight for the guy sitting in the sand. That's when he realized the man had his eyes open and was looking right at him, and of course all of this held Dean's attention for much too long and he wiped out hard.

When he finally resurfaced Charlie and the dark-haired guy were walking away. Dean turned when he heard paddling up behind him, and of course, his little brother was laughing at him.

"Shut up," Dean grumbled and splashed Sam.

"Dude, that was the hardest you've wiped out in years. What happened?"

Dean shrugged, "I dunno man, I was perfect, right on the wave and then I saw Charlie running towards some guy on the beach and it caught my focus."

"Well considering that Charlie is 100,000% gay, I guess it is a little weird to see her running towards a man."

"It's whatever," Dean said shaking his head, "Come on, let's catch a few more waves before we head over to Gabe's."

-x-

"CAS!"

Cas turned away from the surfer that wiped out and looked over to see Charlie running full speed towards him. Charlie had been his best friend since high school and he hadn't seen her since she visited him while he was in Australia.

"CHARLIE!" Cas stood and caught her in his arms when she jumped at him.

"Dude!" She giggled, "You're home! What the fuck?"

"I know, I know. I wanted it to be a surprise." Cas chuckled, holding her at arm's length, "Aren't you surprised?"

"Heck yeah I'm surprised," She punched him in the arm, "Come on, we gotta get back to the bakery everyone's waiting for you."

"Okay, okay."

Charlie pulled Cas off the beach and down the street by his hand. When they got to the bakery all of Cas and Gabriel's friends were sitting inside, Chuck the owner of the bookstore two blocks down, Charlie's fiancée Gilda, and Balthazar, Castiel's good friend and college roommate.

"WELCOME HOME!" they chorused at him.

"Thanks you guys," Cas said smiling sheepishly, "I'm happy to be home."

Balthazar hugged him first and then Gilda proceeded to smooch him all over his face and then when Chuck gave him a shy wave Cas pulled him into a hug because he knew he wouldn't get one otherwise.

Cas sat down with everyone at one of the tables in the bakery and told them about his travels; what he learned, what he saw, what he did. He was in the middle of describing how his hand went numb for three and a half days when he got a minor sting from a jelly just off the coast of the Philippines when Gabriel hopped over the counter and skidded to a stop in front of the shop window.

"They're here!"

Brows furrowed Cas looked to his brother, "Who's here?"

"My new friends! Well I've known them for about as long as you were gone but they're basically family Cassie and I wanted you to meet them!"

Cas looked to his friends in question, "Sam and Dean," Charlie clarified, "They opened a surf shop down the street about four years ago."

"They're in here basically every day," Balthazar added.

Chuck nodded, "They're officially part of the group."

Cas opened his mouth to ask another question but the words stopped in his throat when the two men who he'd seen surfing entered the bakery. They were still in their wetsuits but they had them unzipped and pushed half way down so that their torsos were bare save for the pukka shell necklace on the tallest one and an odd shaped pendant on a long leather chord around the neck of the shorter one.

"Samsquatch! Deano! Glad you could make it." Gabriel grinned taking their hands and yanking them towards everyone else.

"Sure thing Gabe, what's this about?" the tall one asked.

"I want you to meet someone," Gabe let go of their hands and pulled Cas to his feet, "This is my little brother Cassie! He just got home after being away for five god damn years!"

They both smiled warmly at him. Cas couldn't get over how handsome they both were but the shorter one (not that he was short because they were both just very large men) was remarkably beautiful and Cas found that he had a tough time looking away from him.

"Hey, nice to meet yah, I'm Dean and this is my little brother Sammy."

Dean held out his hand and Cas shook it without looking away from his face.

"You can call me Sam. You're a marine biologist, right?"

That got Cas' attention, and when he took Sam's hand he shook his head no, "Oceanographer actually but close. And uh hi, nice to meet you. You can call me Cas."

"Sam and Dean moved here a couple months after you left for Australia and opened a surf shop. Deano here couldn't resist my pie and came in like every day because he's a fatass."

"Excuse you," Dean huffed, "I didn't hear you complaining, I was good business."

"You haven't paid for pie in three years," Gabe dead panned.

"Whatever."

Cas chuckled, "I'm glad someone enjoys Gabriel's company."

Gabriel scowled at him.

Behind them Charlie, Gilda, and Balthazar stood.

"We've gotta get going," Charlie said sadly, "Balthy is helping Gilda and I plan our wedding and we've got an appointment with the florist."

"I've gotta head out too," Chuck mumbled, "I left the bookstore unattended."

"Bye you guys," Cas said hugging each of them, "It was so great seeing you."

"We'll catch up soon love, don't worry," Balthy said and gave him a huge smooch on the cheek.

That left Cas alone with Gabriel, Sam and Dean.

"So," Cas turned to look at them, "You wiped out pretty hard back there huh?"

Sam let out a loud snort and Dean's cheeks turned bright red. Gabriel cackled when he realized Cas was talking about Dean surfing.

"Yeah, hurt like a bitch." Dean smiled a little, "That doesn't normally happen."

"Do you surf Cas?" Sam asked.

He shrugged, "A little. I haven't in a long time."

"Cassie's prefers being in the water rather than riding on top of it," Gabriel explained.

Standing awkwardly Cas smiled at Sam and Dean, "It was really nice meeting you and I'm sure I'll being seeing a lot more of you based off of what Gabriel has said but the jetlag is really starting to hit me so I think I'm gonna hit the hay."

"Yeah, it was nice meeting you," Sam said patting his shoulder.

"See you around Cas," Dean smiled.

"See you upstairs Gabriel."

Cas felt right to sleep when his head hit the pillow.

-x-

"Yeah, sleep tight lil bro!" Gabriel aid fondly as Cas made his way upstairs.

"So that's the youngest Novak huh?" Dean asked.

Dean had to admit he hadn't expected to meet the guy from the beach that soon and he most certainly hadn't expected him to be so handsome. Sure, he was a little socially awkward and a little nerdy but in a cute and endearing way.

"He looks nothing like you," Sam observed.

Gabriel shrugged, "I know, he looks like Michael. I look like Lucifer and Anna doesn't look like any of us."

Dean had known Gabriel for almost five years and still hadn't gotten used to the fact that his older brother was named after Satan.

"So is he living here for good or…?" Dean asked curiously.

Gabe shrugged, "I dunno. We'll probably talk about it at some point. I think he might look for a job at the university just outside of town. He left for Australia right after he graduated and was only supposed to be there for two years."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"He was offered another paid internship and ended up living on a boat in the middle of the ocean off the coast of the Philippines for three years. Last time I heard from him was a little over a month ago and then he called me this morning asking if I could pick him up from the train station."

"Graduated? How old is he?" Dean asked.

"He's a year younger than Sam, 21. He's kind of a prodigy I guess?" Gabriel blew it off like it wasn't that amazing, "He graduated from college when he was like 17."

"Wow," Sam mused.

Sam continued to ask Gabe questions but their voices faded into the background as Dean got lost in his thoughts. He kept thinking about how at peace Cas felt sitting on the beach with his eyes closed as the tide got closer and closer to him. There was no worries or fears on his face. He wasn't afraid of the encroaching tide, he welcomed it.

Dean thought he was beautiful.

Dean liked his cut off shorts and his Birkenstocks and his worn-out t-shirt and his messy hair. He liked how carefree and at peace he seemed. He really liked how much Cas loved the ocean and how Cas' eyes resembled the water he cared about so deeply.

Dean had only known Cas for all of twenty-minutes.

 **Hey guys! You probably are thinking that I'm getting myself into a huge mess because I'm starting another chapter story but honestly I tried to make this a oneshot and literally couldn't. I'm better at chapter stories, I'm just terrible at finishing them. I hope you liked this! Read and Review! One love.**

 **Liz.**


	2. Heart Center

**I know I should be updating my other fics but this one is fresh in my mind because I was dreaming about it last night, so here's the next chapter! Hope you like it!**

Dean woke up when the sun shone through his window and warmed his cheeks. He never set an alarm, he let the earth wake him up. Pulling on some boxers that he had lying around he walked by Sam who had fallen asleep reading again and was basically falling out of the hammock in their living room and headed outside.

On the side of the little wooden shack that Sam and Dean happily called home there was a staircase that lead to the roof. Once Dean was at the top he unrolled the rug that was sitting on the edge and proceeded to meditate. He had been studying and practicing the Kundalini Path since he followed Sam to California and today he was focusing on the Anahata Chakra—Heart Center.

Feeling raw and open after meditation was normal and Dean took his time relaxing and embracing the vulnerability that he felt afterwards. When he finished and was heading back downstairs he could here Sam rustling about inside.

"Here," Sam handed him a smoothie as he walked inside, "I used up the rest of the pineapple and strawberries."

"Thanks Sammy."

"I'm gonna head to the bakery, wanna come?"

Dean shook his head, "I gotta open the shop. I might swing by later though."

Dean's surf shop was on the same property as the house that he and Sam lived in. Crossing the front yard he walked through the back entrance of the shop which was appropriately named _Baby's_ after his beloved car.

He opened the windows and flipped the sign to open before plopping down in the hammock that was on the front porch of the shop. He closed his eyes and decided to take a sun nap while he waited for Andy, a friendly pothead who couldn't get a job anywhere else, to show up and take over. Andy didn't actually surf—because he was too stoned most of the time—so he was at the store most of the time anyways.

An ocean breeze washed over him as he closed his eyes and he smiled. He would never get tired of the sun or the sound of waves.

-x-

On his way back from his morning walk on the beach Cas took a different rout and rounded on the shop Gabriel said Dean and Sam now owned.

A curvy worded sign reading _Baby's_ was hanging from the roof and plastered on the window was a sign that depicted the shop's hours: _open when the waves are big and the sun is out._ To top off the look of this quirky surf shop was the owner, Dean Winchester, sleeping in a canvas hammock on the front porch. Bare chested and wearing only a pair of mid-thigh length hemp shorts Dean's bare feet were hanging off the sides and his hands were resting behind his head. He snapped a picture with his phone.

Cas had never seen anyone look so at peace.

Back at the bakery only five minutes later he found that it was almost completely empty. Chuck was in the corner having his morning coffee and Sam was sitting at the counter laughing at something Gabriel was saying.

"Hey Cassie, how was your walk?"

"It was nice Gabriel, the breeze is perfect today. Hello Sam."

Sam smiled warmly at him, "Hi Cas, how's it goin?"

"It's going." Cas smiled back, perching on the stool next to Sam, "I saw your surf shop on the way back here. It's quaint, I like it."

"Thanks Cas, I help out a lot but Dean's the one that actually owns it. Did you see him?"

Chuckling Cas nodded and took the coffee Gabe offered him, "He was sleeping in a hammock out front."

Gabriel sniggered, "Sounds like Deano."

"Sam, if you don't own the shop with Dean what do you do for work?"

"I'm a lawyer."

Cas choked on his coffee a little, "You're a lawyer?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Cassie." Gabriel chuckled.

"I'm sorry—"

Sam waved him off, "It's fine Cas, I know I don't look like your classic lawyer shmuck."

 _That's an understatement_ , Cas thought. Sam was wearing lightweight gym shorts that didn't reach his knees, and a flowy button shirt that was all the way open and covered in little cartoon Corona's. A pukka shell necklace was loose around his collar bones and flipflops were on his feet.

"I do pro-bono work mostly. Kids and families and shit. Dean and I moved out here when I got accepted to Stanford. After I was a year in Dean found this place and moved here, even though it was seven hours away it was closer than if he'd stayed home."

"Wow Stanford, that's a great school. I went to UCLA."

Sam grabbed two ice-coffee's from Gabe and stood up, "Yeah Gabriel was saying. Hey, I'm heading back to the surf shop if you wanna come see inside."

Cas nodded finishing his coffee, "Yes, that would be nice. See you later Gabriel!"

Gabe stuck his head out of the back, "See you later Cassie! Bye Samsquatch!"

As they exited the shop and made their way down the street past the beach Cas looked back to Sam, "So where was home before California?"

Sam couldn't help but smile, "Lawrence, Kansas."

"Wow that is very far from here and very… _landlocked_."

Sam laughed and they walked up the steps of the surf shop. Dean was no longer asleep in the hammock. "Yeah that's one of the reasons we stayed here."

The inside of the surf shop was just as quaint as the outside. It had classic rock posters and incense and tribal rugs. There was a hammock chair behind the register and bean bag chairs and floor pillows strewn throughout the place. Beautiful surf boards were hung up on the entire back and side walls. Little shelves were stocked with decked out Velcro ankle thingies that attach to your boards and surf board wax.

Andy Gallagher, a kid Cas had gone to high school with, was sitting in the hammock chair behind the register and Dean was sitting on a floor pillow eating a bowl of strawberries.

"No way! Castiel! Dude, I thought you were in like Antarctica or something?"

Cas snorted, "Australia actually. Hi Andy."

"You know Cas?" Dean asked standing. He set the bowl of strawberries on the counter and took the iced coffee from Sam.

"Yeah dude," Andy answered grinning, "Cas and I went to high school together!"

"We did, yes." Cas nodded and looked around the shop again, "Dean these surfboards are all so beautiful. Where do you get them?"

Dean's cheeks flushed and he rubbed the back of his neck, "I uh, I make them."

Sam smiled proudly at his brother and Cas' eyebrows hit his hairline, "You _make them_? That's amazing!"

"Thanks Cas."

"Hey Dean, I've gotta run," Sam said heading for the door, "I've got a meeting with my new client."

"See yah around Sammy."

"Bye Sam," Cas waved.

"Want the uh, tour?" Dean asked turning to Cas.

"That'd be great."

Dean brought Cas around back to show him where he made the surfboards. The wood he used, the paint he used, and the special homemade surf board wax he made to give new boards their shiny sleek finish.

"And uh, back there, that tiny little hut is where Sammy and I live. It's not much but it's home."

"It looks lovely," Cas assured him, "Dean, this is all very impressive. Especially knowing that you've only been here four years."

"Best decision I ever made, moving here," Dean told him, "Come on, wanna beer?" Dean asked as he lead Cas across the stone path that lead to his home.

"Dean, it's not even noon yet."

Dean grinned, "So?"

-x-

Dean lead Cas inside. He knew it looked kind of simple but he loved it. A beautiful Tibetan rug that Sam had bought him was on the floor in the living room/kitchen area. There was a hammock chair hanging from the ceiling not unlike the one in the surf shop, a couple floor pillows, a big recliner, a sofa and a hammock that was hung up right near the back door.

Dean and Sam's bedrooms were down the small hallway to the right and the bathroom was on the left. You could see the ocean from their front porch. The sun came in only slightly so their home didn't get to warm inside and the ceiling fan kept things cool.

Cas sat on a stool at the bar in Dean's kitchen while Dean grabbed them some beers. He opened them on a bottle opener that was shaped like a shark's head and screwed to the wall. Dean handed it to him and smiled, "Here yah go."

"Thank you Dean," Cas took a swig and Dean sat opposite him, "So, why didn't you stay in Kansas?"

Dean smiled fondly and shrugged, "Did you until I moved here five years ago I had only seen the ocean twice? _Two times_ Cas."

"That sounds awful," Cas mused.

He laughed, "It was. I constantly tried to convince my parents to take me and Sammy to the beach but all we've got in Kansas is lakes. And lakes are nothing like the wild raw energy of the ocean. When Sammy told me he got into Stanford I made a split decision and hitched a ride with him."

"I've never been anywhere landlocked," Cas told him, "I think I'd feel trapped, and don't get me wrong living on a boat for three years only surrounded by water isn't the best thing in the world but not being within an hour's drive to the sea sounds terrible."

"Guess we've got that in common huh Cas?"

Cas smiled at him and it lit up Dean's world. The more he talked to the younger Novak the more smitten he became and he'd only known him for a week and a half.

"Why are you an oceanographer Cas?"

"I started out studying to be a marine biologist because everything about marine life fascinates me. As a I studied I realized that just learning about what lives in the ocean wasn't going to help me help them any so I started studying the ocean itself."

"That's what you want to do? Help the ocean?"

Cas nodded, "And everything in it."

"That's real noble of you Cas." Dean said with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah? And what do you wanna do Dean?"

Dean's grin grew wider and he spread his hands, "I just wanna spread the love, man."

-x-

Dean had texted him to let him know that he and Cas were at the bakery so Sam stopped there before he headed home. The bakery was technically closed after five but Sam walked in anyways. Groaning loudly, he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt.

"GABE COFFEE."

"Comin' right up," Gabe produced an already prepared coffee and handed it to his very tall friend.

"You're a saint."

"Oh Sammy, you flatter me."

"Get a room," Dean grunted, he had a smile on his face.

"I've gotta say," Cas said looking at Sam, "Although it is very strange to see you in a suit you look very handsome, Sam."

"Hey thanks, Cas." Sam grinned hopping up to sit on the counter.

Dean looked at Cas with severe mock jealousy (or so Cas assumed), "Cas are you _flirting_ with my brother?"

"No Dean, I was just appreciating an attractive man in a suit, BUT if I was would that be a problem?"

"YES!" Gabriel and Dean growled at the same time.

"OH-kayyyy." Cas held up his palms in defense.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dean stood and stretched, "Alright fellas, I gotta head back. I wanna hit the hay early, see y'all tomorrow."

Dean's Kansanian drawl came out a lot when he was tired and Cas thought it was the most adorable thing in the world. As the older Winchester left the bakery Cas looked to Sam, "It's only 8:30, how early is Dean waking up?"

Sam shrugged, "Could be a number of reasons. He always meditates before he goes to bed so that's part of it but there could be good waves on the forecast for tomorrow."

"Or Deano's angling for a sunrise walk on the beach. He does that sometimes too."

"Dean meditates?"

"Oh yeah," Sam nodded, "It's helped him a lot. I've never seen him so comfortable and at peace with himself."

Gabriel shut off all the machines and walked around the counter, "Deano's one of a kind man. I've never met anyone who belonged in California so much that wasn't actually born here."

The more Cas learned about Dean Winchester the more he discovered about how amazing he was. Cas had never met anyone so in touch with themselves, so _whole_. Cas wanted someone like that in his life. Romantically yes. Romantically _with_ Dean, yes, but honestly just having Dean in his life as a friend was special.

 **Hope you guys liked it! I'll be updating this and some other fics as soon as I can! Read and Review! One Love. Liz.**


	3. announcement not a chapter

**Hey guys! I just wanted to let all of you, my wonderful amazing readers, know that i am writing a destiel collaboration chapter stories with one of my fave authors and friends ImmaSlytherout!**

 **Its called** _ **Sex Isnt Relevant Until You Put Your Hands Down My Pants.**_

 **I would absolutley LOVE it if all of you would go check it out!**

 **One Love, Liz.**


	4. Here Comes the Sun, Jo

**Hey y'all, I'm finally updating this. I know I have other fics that need to be updated and I'm sorry if I hooked you guys on any of them, but I'll be updating them when I can. At this point I don't have an order to which ones I'm finishing/updating first. Hope you guys like this chapter!**

It'd been about a month since Cas had gotten home and he was enjoying the summer. He was enjoying being back and he was enjoying the company of his brother and the Winchester's—specifically a golden haired, green-eyed Winchester.

He was just getting back from a job interview with NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, when he spied Dean in the bakery with Gabe after closing.

"Cassie!" Gabe grinned widely when he walked in, "How'd it go?"

Dean turned when Cas walked in and sat down. As usual the older Winchester was shirtless, clad only in hemp shorts, his pendant around his neck, and he was donning a pair of flipflops. Cas couldn't help blushing a little when Dean smiled widely at him too.

"It went really well," Cas told them, loosening his tie and removing his suit coat, "They've got a lot of field work positions for right here in Encinitas, so I'm hoping I'll be doing something like that."

"That's great Cas," Dean said and Cas grinned at Dean's genuine excitement for him, "I gotta head out, I promised my mom I'd call her and I wanna catch some waves before the sun sets."

Shooting Cas another smile that made the younger Novak weak at the knees Dean headed out of the bakery and strolled down the street. Cas watched him go for a moment before turning to take a sip of the coffee Gabriel had made him and sighing longingly. Unfortunately, he'd done so in front of Gabriel, who he had forgotten about.

His big brother rose an eyebrow at him and had a cheeky grin on his face.

"What?" Cas asked.

"How long have you been pining over that grease monkey? Over a month? Just make a move already."

Cas choked on the coffee he'd been attempting to drink, "You're hilarious Gabriel."

"I'm serious Cassie," Gabe said leaning across the counter to make sure his brother was listening, "As Deano's best friend of four years I am telling you to _go for it_."

He couldn't deny that what Gabriel was saying didn't give him a little hope. The key word being little, as in, not enough. Living on a boat in foreign waters thousands of miles from home? Sure. Asking a hot surfer on a date? Fuck. No.

"Gabriel, I can't okay?" Cas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay," Gabe shrugged, letting it go for now.

It's not that Castiel didn't want to, how could he not? He just felt like if he did and for some god forsaken reason that Adonis of a man said yes that he'd be disrupting everything Dean had been working towards.

He hadn't known the older Winchester for that long but from what he understood Dean had had somewhat of a tough life and his move to California with Sam had been the healthiest thing he'd done for himself in forever. Cas was just afraid that he'd screw it all up.

-x-

Dean only got a couple waves in before it started to thunderstorm. It was a rarity in California to have one of those and he welcomed the cool air and the rumble in the sky. The rain had rinsed the salt water from his wet suit by the time he'd gotten to his front door. Once he had showered he slid on some sweatpants and a t-shirt before plopping down in the hammock that hung in their living room.

Just as he was pulling his cellphone out of his pocket it started ringing.

"Hey Mom, I was just about to call you."

 _"Hi sweetie, how're things out there?"_

Dean could hear the smile in his mom's voice, it always warmed his heart a little.

"Things are good. Really good. Sammy's doing so well, he's working two cases right now."

 _"What about you? How's the shop?"_

"The shop's great. Business is booming, people are really loving the homemade organic vibes we got goin' on."

 _"Okay, so then what's bothering you?"_

Dean cleared his throat and furrowed his eyebrows, "What makes you think something's bothering me?"

He could practically feel her roll her eyes. Sam had learned his bitch face from the best, _"Well something's on your mind. I can hear it in your voice, Dean, so spit it out."_

Covering his face with his free hand he felt his cheeks get hot and butterflies erupt in his gut, "It's no big deal it's just this guy—"

 _"Castiel, Gabe's little brother."_

"Sam told you."

 _"He did"_ his mother confirmed, _"But I actually heard it from Gabriel first."_

"That smarmy little—" his mother interrupted him again, _"Oh hush, he just cares about you. Tell me about Castiel."_

He hadn't even said anything about Cas yet and he was already grinning from ear to ear. He hated it.

"Cas is just," his sighed a little, "He's really amazing. He's so smart yah know? He loves the ocean so much mom, I never thought I'd meet someone who loved it like I do, and he's down to earth, and wears socks with his Birkenstocks and his hair is always messy and he's _gorgeous_."

His mom laughed. Mary Winchester had a laugh that rang out clearly like a bell, had Sam been home he would have heard it ring out from Dean's phone and shot Dean and knowing smile.

 _"He sounds wonderful, Dean."_

"He is."

 _"So? Get your head out of your ass and do something about it."_

A whiney groan erupted from Dean's throat, "I dunno, Mom. He _just_ moved back a month ago. He's barely even settled, not to mention my last relationship ended terribly. I'm not sure if I'm ready."

 _"Dean, it's been six years since Jo died. You know she wouldn't want you using it as an excuse."_

I'm not mom," Dean's throat tightened a little, "I'm better, things are better but I'm still having a little trouble letting go. I don't want to hurt Cas if my head's not in it. Plus, I don't even know how Cas feels."

Mary hummed for a moment, thinking, _"Well why don't you wait things out a little, spend some more time with him and see how you feel? Jo would want you to find love again."_

"I know she would," Dean smiled sadly. He dipped his foot down towards the floor to push himself into a slight rocking motion, "You would like him."

 _"I'm sure I would. Maybe Gabe can bring him for Christmas this year?"_

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea."

 _"Keep me updated, alright kiddo? I've got to go help Ellen and Bobby with some shipments for the Roadhouse, call me if you need anything. Or if you just wanna talk."_

"Of course, mom," Dean smiled, "I love you. Tell Bobby and Ellen I say hi."

 _"I love you too."_

He sat in his hammock for another fifteen minutes just staring into space until Sam came home. His conversation with his mom had helped him some but also made him a little sad. He hadn't actively thought about Jo in some time, it was bitter sweet.

"What're you thinkin' about?" Sam asked when he walked through the door and saw Dean staring out the window from the hammock.

"Jo," he answered honestly. He didn't need to look up to know that Sam was giving him a face full of pity.

"It's been a while since you mentioned her."

"Yeah, I know," Dean got out of the hammock and walked into the kitchen to heat up the kettle. The living room and kitchen were in the same large room in the center of the little shack, "I just talked to mom on the phone. Seems like you and another little birdie have been gossiping with her again."

Sam huffed defiantly but couldn't help giving him a sheepish smile, "We weren't _gossiping_ , we were relaying our observations to Mary Winchester, with whom you cannot lie to."

"Fair," Dean said chuckling a little.

Sam loosened his tie and remained standing, "We just want you to be happy Dean."

"I know you do Sammy," Dean fished around in a cabinet for some tea and honey before looking at his brother, "But I am happy."

He expected Sam to push a little more but he didn't. He just nodded and walked down the hallway to his bedroom. Just before he shut the door he shouted back towards Dean, "Gabe and Cas are coming over!"

Dean sighed. He figured they might be at some point but he wasn't sure. Gabriel was probably one of the most level headed, (slightly manic) and fun people Dean had ever met but the little guy could not handle thunder for beans. Ever since Dean had moved to Encinitas after Sam got accepted to Stanford Gabe had been coming over to huddle on Dean's couch while Dean played guitar or something during thunderstorms.

Sam reentered the living room and Dean handed him a cup of tea.

"Ready to rap your big sasquatch arms around a certain little Novak to protect him from the storm?"

Sam huffed in denial a little before plopping down on the sofa, "Shut up. You gonna cuddle up with Cas to keep warm?" His little brother shot back.

"Shut up," Dean grumbled and was just about to sit down when Gabriel stormed into their little shack with Cas right behind him.

"Thunder-buddies unite!" Gabe shouted thrusting a massive fluffy pillow into the air with one hand as he sunk into a lunge. Cas rolled his eyes.

The younger Novak's eyes did brighten significantly however, when he saw Dean, and they warmed when they saw the mug in Dean's hands.

"You want some tea Cas?" Dean asked, "The kettle's still hot."

"I'd love some, thank you Dean."

Gabriel frowned at the them as they crossed into the kitchen, "That's fine Deano, I didn't want any tea."

"Gabriel, you don't even like tea." Cas said frowning at him.

"Yes, but it's still polite to ask!"

It was Dean's turn to roll his eyes, "Gabe, would you like some tea?" all the emotion had escaped from Dean's voice and all that was left was annoyance.

"Fuck no, I don't want any of your hot leaf juice."

Sam just chuckled when both Dean and Cas gave Gabriel a look of pure hatred. He patted the cushion next to him and Gabe sat down and curled up next to the large Winchester who rapped him in a blanket.

Over in the kitchen Dean opened the tea cabinet. He pushed the coffee aside, "What kind of tea would you like Cas?"

The cabinet was higher up on the wall and even though Cas wasn't short he wasn't as tall as Dean so he stood on his tip toes to get a better look. Dean watched him with a small smile. He didn't think anything could be more adorable.

Cas was wearing Nike joggers and a loose long sleeve shirt with cozy socks and he looked like a curious little kitten as he peaked at Dean's tea selection.

"I'd love some green tea."

"Solid choice," Dean reached for it and handed it to Cas with the honey and then grabbed him a mug. He chose the one that was shaped like a whale because he thought Cas would like it, "Here yah go."

Once Cas' tea was made Dean settled back into the hammock and Cas curled up in the soft chair that was next to him and he could see Cas well from his spot in the living room, he smiled at him.

They just talked for a while as the storm brewed outside. Eventually, discarded tea cups littered the coffee table and Gabriel was now finishing off a hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course).

Dean had moved from the hammock and was now sitting on the floor in front of Cas, leaning his back against the chair. Cas was curled into the chair but his socked feet were sticking out over Dean's right shoulder.

Sam stood from the couch and stretched. Gabe looked up curiously, "Sam?"

"One sec," Sam smiled at them and walked down the hallway but instead of walking into his own room he walked into Dean's room.

Dean knew what he was grabbing right away, "Come on Sammy,"

"Don't be embarrassed Dean," Sam said reentering the living room with Dean's acoustic guitar in hand, "Cas hasn't heard you play."

"Plus it's our thunder-buddy tradition!" Gabe added.

Rolling his eyes Dean reached up for the guitar and settled it into his lap. He was glad his back was facing Cas, that way he couldn't see him. He'd always been shy about his musical abilities, up until he'd met Gabe only his family and Jo had ever heard him play and Gabe didn't even know that he could sing.

He hadn't really sung much since Jo died.

"I didn't know you played guitar, Dean." Dean felt Cas rumble behind him.

He shrugged, "Only a little."

Before Sam could wave off Dean's humbleness and brag a little more Dean started to play. He played the first song that he'd learned on the guitar, _Hey Jude_ by the Beetles. It hadn't been particularly easy to learn first but it was his mother's favorite song and he had learned to play it for her as a birthday gift one year.

Gabriel leaned into Sam while they listened, and Dean felt Cas's fingers stroke through his hair. He hadn't been expecting that type of physical contact with the youngest Novak; soothing, comforting, lovable touches? It threw him off-guard a little and all he could do was focus harder on the song he was playing otherwise he'd explode.

He _liked_ it.

He'd already known that he liked Cas but when Cas reached out to do something as simple as run his fingers through Dean's hair and all Dean could think about was how perfect and right it felt, that's when he realized he was done for.

Dean Winchester was falling for Cas hard. He hadn't felt this way in a long time and the unfamiliarity was scaring him a little, but the rush and butterflies outweighed that feeling. All he could do now was channel his feelings through the music that he was plucking out of his guitar with his fingers.

 _Here Comes the Sun_ , another Beetles song, tingled off of the strings because even though a storm was raging outside Dean felt like he had the sun inside of him.

-x-

The storm didn't last long. Cas and Gabe stayed for another two hours after it had subsided before walking back to their apartment. At one-point Dean had given Cas a more detailed tour of their home. Cas had followed him into his bedroom where he watched Dean stick his guitar on a stand next to his bedroom window.

Cas liked Dean's room. It was warm and welcoming. There were a lot of rugs and Cas had been surprised to find that Dean's bed was an actual bed and not a hammock. There was an impressive vinyl collection on one wall and an interesting mix of album art, Buddhism and Tibetan books and art, and some old car posters. There was a rather large photo of Sam and Dean on the beach in their wetsuits with their surfboards standing on the shore line laughing. A wave was crashing around their ankles. There were a couple family photos and one of Dean and his mom when he was just a child.

One particular picture frame caught Cas' attention. It was a double frame—one photo was of a blonde haired woman. She was younger, in her early twenties at most. Her hair was long and curled at the bottom, her eyes were a warm brown and she was smiling. The second photo was of her and Dean talking while leaning against a bar. They each had a beer in their hands and there was a pool table in the background. Dean was smiling down at her like she was from heaven itself.

Cas wondered who she was.

As they walked home Cas nudged his brother with his elbow.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know who the blonde woman is in the photo's in Dean's room?"

Gabe's brows furrowed, "His mom?"

Cas shook his head, "No, the younger woman. Long blonde hair, brown eyes…"

His big brother looked at his feet and cleared his throat, "Uh, yeah. That's Jo."

"Jo?"

"She was Dean's girl back home, Cassie."

Cas wasn't sure what he felt when he received that answer, "Was? Did they break up or something—"

Gabe shook his head, "She died."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Gabe sighed, "Deano doesn't talk about it much. Apparently, she'd only died a year before he moved out here. He was gonna propose and everything."

Cas wanted to pull Dean into his arms and hold him there forever, "How did she die?"

"She was in a car accident. Dean won't discuss it but from what Sam's told me it was pretty bad."

"Wow."

Gabe nudged him this time, "Don't let that discourage you Cassie. Deano likes you a lot, I promise. It's been six years, he's past the mourning period."

"Yeah, okay."

Cas felt guilty.

He felt guilty because he felt jealousy, and confusion, and doubt, and the overwhelming feeling that he was encroaching into a situation in which he didn't belong. He felt guilty because even though he felt like he was intruding into Dean's life, now more than ever, he couldn't help but feel like he belonged there. Like he fit.

Dean thought so too.

 **I FINALLY FINISHED THIS CHAPTER. I AM TERRIBLE. PLEASE STILL LOVE ME AND STUFF. Hope y'all liked it! Read and Review! One love, Liz.**


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